BMW X5 Complaints (2026)

18 consumer complaints on file.

#11758406August 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
On [XXX] as I was driving on [XXX] in Fl and got in to some traffic I noticed the car was shuddering a bit when I braked and I could here metal against metal coming from the brakes. I called SIXT 800 number and spoke to a Gentleman at their call center in Asia. He asked me why I needed brakes . I was shocked at his response , needless to say. He told me he reported it and I needed to return the car in Miami at the airport . I spent the night in Jupiter as it was around 5 pm. The next day [XXX] I drove the car to the MIA Airport where it was exchanged for a new car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757606August 18, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was driving at 70 mph on the highway when the car suddenly and without warning went into neutral, lost all functionality, and displayed the warning "Drivetrain Malfunction--Stop Driving Immediately--Call Roadside Assistance." I had to drift (barely) to side of a busy highway and exit the vehicle to get to safety. The dealer review of fault codes include: High-voltage system: No voltage established; No communication possible with: Accumulator-management electronics; SME: Software action required; Function: Acceleration not possible; Function: It is not possible to establish the drive-ready state; Drive function: Repair measure will soon be necessary. This happened on XXX around noon on XXX in [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756626August 13, 2026
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2026 BMW X5 xDrive50e experienced a serious freeway safety event involving loss of braking/brake power, loss of vehicle power/functionality, and multiple vehicle warnings/errors. The incident occurred while I was driving on the freeway and substantially affected my ability to safely operate the vehicle. BMW Emergency Services subsequently towed the vehicle to Irvine BMW on 07/09/2026. Irvine BMW later attributed the event to Emergency Stop Assist (ESA) and the Driver Monitoring System (DMS), rather than identifying a mechanical brake failure. Its written explanation states that ESA can take over vehicle guidance and decelerate the vehicle using multiple short braking jolts. The dealership reported a stored DMS fault but stated that it could not duplicate my reported condition. I have not been provided evidence that the original freeway event was reproduced or that its cause was conclusively established. Irvine BMW initially represented that material covering the display was an aftermarket screen protector and stated that BMW Technical required its removal because it could interfere with the DMS camera. On 07/27/2026, the General Manager apologized and confirmed that the material was actually original BMW transportation protection film. The dealership also proposed reducing ESA sensitivity as an alternative. I remain concerned that the combination of loss of braking/brake power, loss of vehicle power/functionality, and the reported ESA/DMS behavior may represent a serious safety defect or malfunction affecting braking, vehicle control, or driver-monitoring systems. I kindly request that NHTSA review this reported safety event, including ESA, DMS, related vehicle-control systems, and the interaction with the display/driver-monitoring system, and determine whether further investigation is warranted. I can provide dealership records, BMW App data, communications, and diagnostic documents.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11756589August 12, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
On [XXX], my 2026 BMW X5 (VIN [XXX], 22,314 mi) was damaged during an automated reverse parking maneuver by BMW Parking Assistant, with automatic emergency braking enabled. Three failures occurred. I have used Parking Assistant nightly for ~6 months to back into my home garage: ~180 identical maneuvers, zero prior incidents or warnings. Nothing about the garage or environment changed. Failure 1: The system calculated and executed a trajectory that steered the vehicle into the garage structure. First contact was at the driver side rear fender flare. Failure 2: No graduated proximity warnings sounded during the approach. The first and only sensor alert occurred simultaneously with impact. The alert at contact proves the sensors were functional, yet no advance warning was given. Failure 3: After contact was detected and the alert sounded, the vehicle kept moving. Automatic braking did not stop it. The scrape traveled forward along the entire driver side door and sheared off the driver side mirror before the vehicle stopped. At parking speed, stopping distance is inches; the continuous scrape from fender flare to mirror is physical evidence of sustained post-contact travel. The system requested driver intervention only after impact. I was actively supervising. The window from failure onset to impact was under one second, below human reaction time. No supervising driver could have intervened. Damage: driver side rear fender flare, door, and mirror. No injuries. No software changes have been made since the incident. A formal case and engineering investigation have been requested from BMW of North America, including written preservation of EDR, parking maneuver logs, sensor data, brake commands, and telematics. Servicing dealer: Crevier BMW, Santa Ana, CA. I believe this indicates a software defect in path planning, sensor logic, or post-contact braking that may affect other vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756521August 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2026 BMW X5. The contact stated that after several days of not driving the vehicle, the messages "Starter Battery Low," "Starter Battery Severely Discharged”, and “You can Still Drive - However Power-Consuming Functions Disabled to Preserve the Battery," were displayed on the BMW App. The contact stated that the battery was severely drained after being fully recharged. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle was pulled over the shoulder of the road, where the vehicle remained until a local independent mechanic arrived on scene to attempt to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it remained for further investigation. The vehicle was previously repaired at the same local dealer for internal BMW Technical Campaign: B12032626E-A01; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was repaired for Sensing and Module Electronics (SME) and Battery Management Electronics (BME) units. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 644.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754180August 1, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I have a 2026 BMW X5 50E. I experienced the same malfunction twice in the same day. The first occurrence was when I was taking my husband to a doctors appointment. While parking the car and when I was almost at a stop the vehicle lurched forward and was stopped by the concrete curb. My husband asked me what happened and I said I don’t know. The second occurrence was about two hours later after visiting a second doctors office I headed to a lunch spot. I pulled into a parking spot and had come almost to a stop and once again the vehicle lurched forward with an even more powerful sudden acceleration. The vehicle struck a metal railing, bordering, an outdoor dining area. Once the railing was hit It pushed into a large freestanding metal continuous privacy panel. The privacy panel collapsed on people and caused multiple injuries. This incident endangered the safety of myself and the safety of many others. There were multiple injuries. I have not yet had the vehicle inspected by a third-party. I received no warnings on the car or through the app prior to the failure. These incidents occurred on July 31, 2026 between 10 AM and 12 PM. I have read and saved the error codes available on the car. There may be some that are associated with the incident. Also of note the incident occurred several days after a software update on July 26 at 1:30 AM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
8
Deaths:
0
#11752936July 26, 2026
SEAT BELTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR
The driver’s door lock has malfunctioned for the second time. The door became stuck in the locked position and could not be opened normally. There were no warning lights or messages indicating a problem with the door latch or lock system. This creates a serious safety hazard because the driver could be unable to exit the vehicle during an emergency. The right rear passenger seat belt also does not retract properly and cannot be used. The vehicle has previously been taken to a BMW dealership for this same issue, but the problem has returned. Because the seat belt cannot be used, a rear passenger cannot be properly restrained, creating a significant safety risk in the event of a crash.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751544July 20, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Summary of the Problem: Intermittently, after starting the vehicle, the center infotainment display becomes stuck on the BMW startup logo and never completes the boot process. The condition persists while driving. Safety Risk: When this occurs, the rearview backup camera is unavailable when the vehicle is shifted into reverse, reducing rear visibility and increasing the risk of a backing collision. Other infotainment functions are also unavailable. Frequency: Intermittent. The issue has occurred multiple times. Conditions: The issue occurs at vehicle startup. No specific weather or operating conditions have been identified. Troubleshooting Performed: * Restarted iDrive by holding the audio volume/power button for approximately 30 seconds. The system restarts but remains stuck on the BMW startup logo. * The only reliable recovery is to lock the vehicle and leave it undisturbed for approximately 30 minutes or longer. After the vehicle enters sleep mode, the system functions normally again.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749198July 8, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This vehicle has now experienced the same severe, life-threatening defect on four separate occasions. While driving at approximately 45–50 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly loses power and rapidly decelerates. A red warning message first appears stating "Inability to Drive," followed within a few seconds by "Emergency Shutdown." The vehicle then initiates an uncommanded emergency stop on public roads and highways without any input from me. On two separate occasions, vehicles traveling behind me had to brake suddenly or swerve around my vehicle to avoid a collision, resulting in near-miss accidents. This defect presents a significant safety hazard and places both my family and other motorists at risk. The vehicle has been brought to the dealership three separate times for evaluation of this same issue. To date, the dealership has been unable to identify the root cause of the defect. The only repair performed has been an installation of software updates; however, the dangerous condition has continued to occur despite these updates.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749186July 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
On July 6, 2026, while my brand-new vehicle (purchased June 10, 2026) was stationary and preconditioning, the high-voltage drivetrain and climate control networks suffered a catastrophic synchronization failure. The vehicle’s internal communication bus network completely crashed, causing the SME (Battery Management System) and IHKA (Climate Control) modules to stop communicating. This software/hardware network dropout left the high-voltage electric AC compressor running entirely unmonitored. As a direct result of this uncontrolled loop, the undercarriage of the vehicle physically froze into solid blocks of ice, fluid rapidly dumped onto the pavement, the Malfunction Indicator Light illuminated, and the battery management system triggered an emergency hard-fault safety lockout. This digital lockout instantly stripped away 75% of the high-voltage battery's usable range, dropping it from 38 miles to 9 miles in a single millisecond to prevent a catastrophic thermal event. During this component failure, the high-voltage compressor was audibly grinding and suffering heavy mechanical strain due to liquid refrigerant slugging. This presents an extreme, unreasonable public safety risk. A sudden high-voltage network crash and sudden loss of 75% of battery range while driving on a highway would result in an instantaneous, uncommanded drop in vehicle propulsion, placing passengers at risk of a severe rear-end collision. Furthermore, the complete loss of climate module communication controls the battery pack's thermal management/chiller plate; an unmonitored thermal loop on a lithium-ion hybrid battery is a distinct fire hazard. This is a documented, recurring issue affecting the BMW X5 xDrive50e platform, and a federal safety investigation/recall is required before an owner suffers an accident or thermal fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744512June 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2026 BMW X5. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, several warning lights illuminated, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an incomplete software update. The contact was informed that the software update needed to be performed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was dissatisfied with the failure and the diagnostic result. In addition, the contact stated that the system should have reverted to the original software. In addition, the contact stated that if the vehicle was in drive, the failure could have resulted in a serious situation. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744349June 15, 2026
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
2026 BMW X5 plug-in hybrid. Driver front and rear-left doors unexpectedly opened/unlatched while driving at freeway speeds. No dashboard warning before event. Problem has occurred multiple times. Vehicle presents serious occupant safety hazard. Dealer has not permanently resolved issue. 2 times dropped off at dealer but issues still there . Happened multiple times in the first monh after we bought the car , brought to dealer no resolved ,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742608June 7, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
The Blind spot warning lights on both sides of the mirros are not lit consistently. It brings in some dangerous situation if we assume the warning light is always lit when there is a car in the blind spot. So I observed it on the highway several times, especally at night, where the warning light is mostly needed. The result is consistent. I was driving on the three-lane I95 and adaptive cruising control in the middle lane. The right-hand side blind spot warning light wasn't lit on all dark color cars to my right, and wasn't lit on 18-wheelers. It's lit on all light color cars, like white cars. The left-hand side blind spot warning light was lit most time. But there were still times that it's not lit, especially on dark color cars at night.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732128April 18, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
With 1900 miles since purchase, car became undriveable. Displayed warnings included “high voltage failure” and “drivetrain malfunction”. Car had to be towed to dealer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724688March 16, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The vehicle is exhibiting symptoms that are identical to those described in NHTSA Recall 25V556 — water intrusion through the windshield and A-pillar area. The recall documents that improperly sealed windshields can allow water to enter the power distribution box and electronic control unit, leading to a short circuit and, in extreme cases, a thermal event even when the ignition is off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719968February 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I went to drive the car and there was a drivetrain malfunction error. The car could not be driven and had to be towed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713010January 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I purchased the car on 12/29/2025. While driving the car on 1/2/2026, I was parking the vehicle when an error message that said "Drivetrain Malfunction" appeared on the screen, which informed me that I needed to take my car to a service center. Luckily I was not moving at a high rate of speed and I was able to park the vehicle with no issue. I was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer for service the next morning (1/3/2026). They ran diagnostics but were not able to replicate the issue. BMW North America was consulted and they had the dealer drain the battery and reset the system. This cleared the error. The dealer commented that there were two other similar vehicles that were in for the same issue. There were no issues, warning lights prior to the failure, and they first appeared on 1/2/2026. No fix was applied to the car, just a reset of the system. Since then, the car has a slight lurch / jerk when accelerating on occasion in electric only mode.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709535January 7, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Vehicle: 2026 BMW X5 System involved: Parking Assistant Professional (automatic parking) Description of the incident: While using Parking Assistant Professional on my 2026 BMW X5, the vehicle performed an automated parking maneuver and reversed into a stationary wall, causing damage to the rear window, tail light, and paint. The maneuver was initiated by the automated parking system. During the event, there were no audible or visual warnings, no alert prompts, and no system disengagement prior to impact. The vehicle continued reversing until contact occurred. I did not manually apply throttle or steering input during the automated maneuver. The obstacle was a fixed, stationary wall in a normal parking environment. BMW North America later informed me that their investigation concluded the system operated as designed and that certain sensor limitations are described in the owner’s manual. However, from a safety perspective, an automated parking system reversing into a stationary object without warning raises concern, particularly given the absence of alerts or system intervention. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential safety issue involving automated parking behavior and lack of warnings during low-speed automated maneuvers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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